Improvement in velocipede



dinitml' fitters JAMES WrMcMILLIAN, OF GREENVILLE, ALABAMA.

Letters Patent No. 91,035, dated zme 8, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCIPEDE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES W. MGMlLLIAN, of

Greenville, in the county of Butler, and State of Alabama, have invented anew and improved Velocipede; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

-'clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which-'- Fignre 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of my improved velocipede, the plane of section beingindicated'by-the line :v-x, fig. 2. v

Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical transverse section of a modification of the same.

Figure 4'is a detail longitudinal section of another modification of 'the same.

Similar letters of i'eference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new three or four-wheeled velocipede, which is so constructed that motion' can be imparted to both axles at once, either by the hands or feet of the operator, or by both hands and feet combined.

The invention consists in the general combination, with ratchet-wheels mounted on both axles, of connecting-levers, all arranged in such a manner that the aforementioned results can without diflicnlty be realized.

A, in the drawing, represents the frame of my improved velocipede, supported on the front axle B and rear axle 0, both these axles being hung in their bearings, so that they can'revolve in the same.

The wheels D and E are respectively mounted on these axles.

On each axle are also firmly mounted two ratchetwheels F F.

Each of these ratchet-wheels is enclosed in a cylindrical box, G, which is hung loose on the axle, and which has one arm a, projecting forward from it. The two ratchet-wheels on the front axle are respectively in line with those on the rear axle, so that the boxes Gv on the front axle may be connected with those of the rear axle respectively.

This connectionis made in each case by means of a horizontal lever, H, which has its ends, by means of vertical rods 1) b, respectively connected with the ends of the arms a of the front and back boxes, as shown in fig. 1.-

In each arm a is fitted a sliding click, 0, which is, by means of a spring, (I, forced against the edge of th ratchet-wheel,

When the lever H ispushed down, these clicks. will act on the ratchet-wheels,-and will draw them around, so as to turn the axles and propel the vehicle;

When, however, the lever H is m'oved up, the clicks will slide on the ratchet-wheels without acting onthem, and will come into position again for another downward stroke.

From each lever H projects a rod, 0,111) through the frame, said rod carrying a foot-plate, f, at its upper end.

rest, and with it the lever H. 7

The rider throwshis weight alternately from one footplate to the other, and will thereby propel the'vehicle,

the springs-G throwing up the foot-plates whenever the weight is removed from them.

From the front boxes G project backward other arms a, similar to' the arms a, they being connected with.

- able construction.

Instead of the clicks 0 c and springs 11 d, above described, the clicks may be formed on spring-shanks, as in fig. 3, or they may be made in form of loose tubes, fitted around the axle, to catch with their toothed ends against the toothed ends of a shoulder, h, mounted on the axle, as in fig. 4.

In this latter case the sliding clutches i3 '5 are, by springs j j, held against the toothed shoulder, and have projecting arms a a to operate in the manner above described.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure byLettors Patent, is-- The combination, with the two axles of a velocipede,

carrying the ratchet-wheels F, of the herein-described spring-clicks. arms a a, rods b b, levers H, and bandles I, all arranged and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

JAMES W.'MoMILLIAN. Witnesses: P. R. D. WANE, W. '1. HUDSON.

A spring, g, has the tendency to elevate said foot 

